From Indoor Crashes to Infinity and Beyond: My Drone Diaries
I recently embarked on a journey to master the art of drone flying, starting with practicing on a simulator and eventually transitioning to real-life flight. After reading posts on Reddit, watching Joshua Bardwell videos, and browsing through Oscar Liang's site, I quickly understood that this hobby requires a lot of practice, dexterity, and technical knowledge. From flying the drone to adjusting settings and firmware, and even tinkering with mechanics for those who choose to go the DIY route, there is a lot to learn and perfect. A worthy challenge! I was excited about the potential of this hobby but knew that it needed to be approached with careful planning.
My journey began with investing in a radio controller that would serve me well into the future. After some research, I decided to purchase the RadioMaster Boxer M2 ELRS FCC from Aliexpress, which came bundled with 2x 18650 3.7v rechargeable batteries that could be charged directly from the radio controller's USB port. Connecting the radio to the Mac for simulator practice was easy, as long as I used a USB data cable rather than a power-only cable.
After 6 hours of practice on the Velocidrone simulator, I felt confident enough to order my first FPV starter kit. I opted for the HappyModel Mobula 6 2024 ELRS drone along with Eachine EV800D goggles, GAONENG 8pcs GNB LiPo batteries, and a VIFLY WhoopStor3 battery storage charger and discharger from Amazon. The Eachine goggles had a built-in battery, and the Mobula 6 drone used an A30 connector, which was also compatible with the charger BT2.0.
With my gear in hand, I was ready to take the next step in my drone flying journey, knowing that careful planning and practice would be key to mastering this exciting hobby.
I recently embarked on a journey to master the art of drone flying, starting with practicing on a simulator and eventually transitioning to real-life flight. After reading posts on Reddit, watching Joshua Bardwell videos, and browsing through Oscar Liang's site, I quickly understood that this hobby requires a lot of practice, dexterity, and technical knowledge. From flying the drone to adjusting settings and firmware, and even tinkering with mechanics for those who choose to go the DIY route, there is a lot to learn and perfect. A worthy challenge! I was excited about the potential of this hobby but knew that it needed to be approached with careful planning.
My journey began with investing in a radio controller that would serve me well into the future. After some research, I decided to purchase the RadioMaster Boxer M2 ELRS FCC from Aliexpress, which came bundled with 2x 18650 3.7v rechargeable batteries that could be charged directly from the radio controller's USB port. Connecting the radio to the Mac for simulator practice was easy, as long as I used a USB data cable rather than a power-only cable.
After 6 hours of practice on the Velocidrone simulator, I felt confident enough to order my first FPV starter kit. I opted for the HappyModel Mobula 6 2024 ELRS drone along with Eachine EV800D goggles, GAONENG 8pcs GNB LiPo batteries, and a VIFLY WhoopStor3 battery storage charger and discharger from Amazon. The Eachine goggles had a built-in battery, and the Mobula 6 drone used an A30 connector, which was also compatible with the charger BT2.0.
With my gear in hand, I was ready to take the next step in my drone flying journey, knowing that careful planning and practice would be key to mastering this exciting hobby.
The first issue I encountered was that the battery was 1 mm wider than the battery bay in the Mobula drone. To solve this problem, I made two small cuts in the rectangular bay so I could fit the battery in. After a few flights, I noticed that the battery was sometimes slipping out of the bay, only connected to the drone by the charging wire. To secure it, I added a rubber band by unscrewing the two screws at the side of the drone and wrapping it over the battery bay. This adjustment worked well, and now the battery stays in place securely.
My gear:
Radiomaster Boxer (M2) ELRS FCC, with 2x 18650 3.7v batteries (aliexpress)
VelociDrone simulator for Mac
HappyModel Mobula6 2024 ELRS (aliexpress/amazon)
GNB 1S 3.8V HV 380mAh 60C Lipo with cable and A30 connector (aliexpress/amazon)
VIFLY WhoopStor3 6 port 1S Lipo battery charger/discharger (aliexpress/amazon)
AC/DC Power Adapter, 100-220V to 12V/5A 5.5x2.1mm connector (aliexpress/amazon)
Echaine Goggles EV800D 5.8G 800x480 Analog Video Headset/DVR (aliexpress)